Factory Farming Protest in New Jersey

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NJ Factory Farming Forum and Rally Join with government leaders, celebrities, and hundreds of animal advocates in calling for New Jersey to be the first state to outlaw cruel factory farming practices. 04/07/2002 - 04/08/2002

Postal Address: PO Box 150 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 USA

If you notice any incorrect information on this page, please let us know. Contact Person: Farm Sanctuary Phone: 607-583-2225 Fax: 607-583-2041 E-Mail: office@farmsanctuary.org Website: www.farmsanctuary.org

Detailed Information:

April 7 and 8 join with Farm Sanctuary, the Humane Society of the US, The Fund for Animals, and Compassion in World Farming for a Factory Farming Forum and rally in New Jersey's capitol city, Trenton. On April 7, the Factory Farming Forum, Hosted by Grant Aleksander, will feature speakers Gene and Lorri Bauston, Howard Lyman, Peter Singer, Wayne Pacelle, David Wolfson, esq. and more. They will discuss factory farming issues and what we can do to make New Jersey the first state to outlaw cruel confinement practices.

On Monday April 8, join with Hollywood Legend Mary Tyler Moore and Farm Sanctuary for a rally at the state capitol for humane standards for farm animals that eliminate battery cages, gestation crates, and veal crates.

For more info go to this website:

http://envirolink.netforchange.com/frame.html?page=content.html%3Fitemid%3D20011207151655738356%26catid%3D2

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 12, 2002

Answers

Oh boy thats all we need.

-- george sulix (sulix@ziplip.com), March 12, 2002.

If the factory farms go there are going to be a lot of hungrys in this country just like there are in the subsistance farming countries.They are the reason that American farmers feed so many. It is always amazing how people who have never spent a day on a hog or chicken farm become such authorities.

-- charlieS (charliesap@pldi.net), March 12, 2002.

Iowa is full of these factory farms. At first I was open minded about them but when you see what they do to land values, smell the almost constant stench in the air for several miles around, and view their disregard for manure spills and leakage into the ground water, it makes me sick. BAN THEM!!! The Sooner the Better!!

-- fred (lookin38@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.

Mary Tyler Moore's going to be there!!! I can't wait to hear her authoritative opinions on farming techniques! Please attend our rally against Hollywood sanctimony. We would like to pass some laws to limit their salaries, #'s of marriages, and their political influence. Disrespectfully submitted.

-- lisa (vadas@nfdc.net), March 12, 2002.

You don't need to be an authority on farming to know cruelty when you see it, or to know pollution when you smell it.

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), March 12, 2002.


There has got to be a better way than factory farming. Perhaps bringing the horror to the public eye will help to find that better way. No, we can not feed our country with the storybook farms of a cow and a couple chickens and a 1/4acre garden but maybe we can find a happy medium. And yes, it would cost the public much, much more for food raised responsibly but so what. I'm all for giving up that big screen tv in exchange for healty foods and healty planet. We only have need for food and shelter (besides love and health which can't be bought anyway)that is what we should work for not the new SUV! And while Mary Tyler Moore or Neil Young may know diddly squat about anything they might open an eye or two about what exactly we the American Public is consuming.

-- Diana in FL (dvance4@juno.com), March 12, 2002.

If you want to ban factory farming then the way to do it is to go to your local grocer. Tell him the kinds of foods you want to buy from him and make it clear that you *won't* buy the kinds of foods produced by the kinds of farming methods you want to eliminate.

What you SHOULDN'T be doing is going to these factory farming protests and then stopping at the supermarket on the way home to buy your 69 cents a pound chicken or your $1.25 a pound hamburger which were furnished to you at those prices by the very same factory farming methods that you were just protesting.

The American supermarket system will supply what they think their customers want to buy (and thus spend their money on) and in turn they will search out those folks who can supply it and drop those folks supplying products their customers don't want to buy. The agricultural economy will respond to those kinds of changes right quick.

Anything that has the Humane Society of the United States involved arouses my suspicions right off the bat.

.......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), March 12, 2002.


What makes some people here think that musicians and actors have no idea of what farming is about.It's possible that actors and musicians might own farms or have investments in farms.The sound was different when a bunch of musicians had Farm Aid. no-one said "what do these people know about farming .Some actors might have even grown up on a farm.The drummer from the rock band R.E.M. quit the band when he realized he had enough money and went into farming.I think that alot of people here realize that the food they grow at home taste better and makes them feel better then the garbage that is past off as food at their local food store. Factory farming is cruel to animals, unhealthy for people and produces products that are low quality and taste bad. And as one stated, causes pollution that is dangerous to water supplies . The purpose isn't that some factory farmer believes he or she's on a mission from God to help feed the world, they're motivated by profits ( money) just trying to make a living and feed their family. Commercial farmers who use unhealthy and cruel farm factory methods do so because it's allowed and if they didn't farm this way they couldn't be price competitive with the farmers who use this method . So the food will be more exspensive with the alternatives. Meaning some people will eat less food, but the food will taste better and have more nutrition.Since I see more and more overweight people than slim people( the new minority ) when I go into a food store, I don't think people will starve to death if the factory farms disappear from the earth and people start consuming less , but more nutritional foods.

-- SM Steve (unreal@msn.com), March 12, 2002.

Like the thread above says, boycott their products. I'm off of pork and chicken because of what these "concentration camps for animals" do to their inmates, do to their neighbors, and do to the enviroment. Call me an enviromental wacko if you want but enough is enough!!!!

-- fred (fred@mddc.com), March 12, 2002.

Just one draw back to what I said above. If we do stop factory farming in this country, we'd need to put a ban on the food from factory farms that is imported from china and mexico or we will see the American farmer become an endangered spicies,probably even become extinct.

-- SM Steve (unreal@msn.com), March 12, 2002.


I think you guys are partly wrong here. Look at the amount of money WE pay the farmers already in subsidies, and look at how much of our tax dollars go into administering the subsidy programs. If we stopped all of that, first of all, we would save a lot of tax dollars. Some of the farmers would go out of business, true, but these would be the ones who operate at a loss, and there is no reason that ANY business should be carried if it can't show a profit, so no great loss there. Then, if consumers started demanding better quality ag products (example- instead of feeding waste products to livestock, the farmers could buy some grain from their neighbor, who now needs a real market for HIS product, and feed that). Result, healthier animals, a market for someone's grain, consumers could afford to pay a higher price for their food, and might even be WILLING to, healthier people, and the remaining farmers would be in better shape financally. Additionally, if "we" stopped overproducing unneeded commodities, we could improve the environment (stop fertilizer run-offs, improving the quality of our water, and also SAVE water at the same time). Seems like a win- win-win situation to me.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

Also, there is no way that farmers will ever become extinct, unless humans become extinct. As long as people need to eat, which seems to be pretty much every day for most people, there will be a demand for farmers. What would happen, and what should happen, is that there would be a shift in the money supply- out of the hands of the government and a lot of corporate farms, back into the hands of the farmers and the consumers.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

Can I tell all of you participants on this issue how much I appreciate your input...you all have your strong ideas but you are discussing them with each other. No name calling, no getting ugly with each other...it's all very refreshing. It would be nice if this is the way could be all the time.

-- claudia in NY (cooleyville@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

You can boycott chicken, pork, whatever if you like but if you want it to be EFFECTIVE you have to tell your local supermarkets WHY you're not buying their meat and what kind of meat it is you WILL buy.

How many of your local supermarkets out there now carry at least a little organic food? It wasn't protests that got it on those shelves, it was consumer demand. When someone senses there is a market for something you can bet that someone will come along to supply that market if they can think of any possible way to make a profit from it. TELL your local supermarket that you want meat produced in a non-factory farmed way and you want it produced HERE in the U.S. If they get more than a very few making these requests they'll begin to look for suppliers. It won't take long for American agriculture to begin to come around. After all, WE, the American consumer, built each and every one of those factory farms - they didn't just materialize out of thin air - and we can make them go away the same way. Consumer demand is king in the American marketplace.

Do be aware though that this will not be without consequence. Simply eliminating factory farms in the U.S. while demanding the same 69 cents a pound chicken will only export the problem to the Third World where you'll be quite safe from having to see or hear about it while blowing the bottom out of our own agricultural economy. This will leave us in the ludicrous position of being the global superpower that cannot feed itself.

No, farmers won't ever go extinct on this planet but they will damn sure become thin on the ground where they cannot economically compete. The great reason why we have factory farms is that in order to continue selling food cheaply in a nation where land and labor is as expensive as it is here they have to concentrate and mechanize as much as they are able. You cannot produce 69 cent a pound chicken in the U.S. using free range methods.

.......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), March 12, 2002.


The big mega farms cause huge pollution problems and the smell is unbelivable. But I don't want any more goverment regulations on farming or anything else. Once set in motion they just don't know where to stop. If you want to stop the pollution go to court, if they are polluting you can stop them. Huge hog production farms have been shut down. But federal regulations because of keeping animals caged no I will not support that. Animal crulity laws are in place now use them.

-- David in North Al. (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), March 12, 2002.


Thanks Alan, for making some sense - I agree with your comments in this thread and in others.

I think Elisabeth just does not understand the world ecconomy, world enviornment, & how things work in the real world. I mean that matter-of-factly, and not as a slam against her. I think she just doesn't understand - the USA government has intentionally set up a system where grain farming will not be able to compete with the rest of the world. The USA govt has enforced wage raises, enviornmental rules, taxes, and international trading policies that _prevent_ bulk grain to be traded fairly in the world. Other countries have also meddled in the world trade, making it impossible for farm products to ever be on a level playing feild. Without USA subsidies OR a fundimental change in many governments all around the globe (not just unilaterally), farming in the USA will become extinct, and our food will be imported from countries that have very cheap labor, poor living conditions, and no enviornmental regulations.

I do not see that as _any_ improvement for anyone? You want cheap 9 cent sugar from Brazil, you don't want the expensive 21 cent stuff from the USA? Have you considered the enviornmental shortcuts taken to get that 9 cent sugar? Have you considered how much USA govt money is invested in Brazil's ecconomy (how many BILLIONS in loans have we written off to them?) & infrastructure to make that 'unsubsidised' sugar? Have you considered how much Brazil is subsidising their own farmers to make that 'cheap' import available?

You just aren't seeing the big picture here Elisabeth. I've been pretty calm to people on this forum, I think there are good people here & I ignore the flakes. But your claims are just so way off-base, that the truth really does need to be presented for everyone to see. What or who people chose to follow is up to them. But there does need to be a counterpoint here to what you say.

As Alan says, tell store manages what you want. Silly protests & 'wow' public apperances & outright lies get the news cameras around, but they do not _change_ anything. If you want change, shop with your pocketbook. Tell managers why you are not buying some products, and are buying others. This calm, rational approach could do wonders - it actually makes people think, instead of laugh at you.

But it will be a confusing message if you tell the store manager you want the cheapest 9 cent sugar from Brazil so you can save the environment and American farmers at the same time!!!!! :)

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.


Are these the same groups who are trying to ban the shipment of day old poultry through the mail? In order for me to raise my own free-range chicken and eggs I first have to be able to acquire the chickens. I'm all for the humane treatment of animals but I'd like to know their full agenda first. Linda in SE NY

-- linda skountzos (skountzos6@netscape.net), March 12, 2002.

As for the "Legendary" Mary Tyler Moore, she is in the same class as Meryl Streep who jumped on the bandwagon to ban Alar and put many U.S. apple orchards out of business. Now we see apples from many other countries in our grocery stores. After the big scare it came out that there were more carcinogens in apples not treated with Alar than those treated. Puzzles me how so many of you wannabe farmers can support anti-agriculture organizations.

-- Mac in AK (nospam@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

While expressing the desire for healthy foods to the supermarkets is indeed the answer, making the public aware of how the food is raised adds to the voices demanding such options. The American public is unaware of how thier foods are raised. Maybe the cheap food has caused them to put their heads in the sand. It's about time we yank 'em out.

In another discussion I read where someone was afraid to send fast food back to the kitchen fearing repurcussions. If I were to send back eggs not cooked to my satisfaction you can bet that the loogey from the angry cook came from a healther animal than the meal I ordered!

-- Diana in FL (dvance4@juno.com), March 12, 2002.


I feel we should bypass the grocer and go straight to the farmer who raises the product, you are wishing to purchase....no, you'll not be able to get all your supplies this way, but it's a start! An added bonus is you personally can see what farming practices they include in the growth of said product, and of course raise as much as you can yourself.

Small farmers should ban together and support one another's new endeavors to get you that chemical-- free chicken,pork,beef,milk,eggs and veggies.

We live 8 miles from a hog confinement and we have both worked there. Myself....one day and Hubby....2 weeks. The work was grueling, but that wasn't the kicker....the inhumane way the hogs are raised have prompted us to raise some chemical free pork and offer at a higher incentive. The hogs(at the hog factories) never see sunshine or have to suffer the elements of the weather. They are given antibiotics in their drinking water and are given growth hormones in their feed and two to three times the penicillan shot required on the label for illness. We have heard that some of the crippled pigs are sold to someone who finishes them out and then sells the pork to the largest pizza chain.... that comes to mind. Our family is never eating their pizza again just because we know this could possibility be correct.

We went to the cattle auction today.... and it's a plus if the calves have inplants???? I choose to know what is in my food. Have we ever questioned the huge increase in cancer???? My God....we are our own worst enemy! We are just asking for it! It's all about the bottom line not what is GOOD AND HEALTHY for us as a society.

-- Carla (herbs@computer-concepts.com), March 12, 2002.


I'm so glad I raise my own meat.

-- Wendy A (phillips-anteswe@pendleton.usmc.mil), March 13, 2002.

I may raise some of my own meat, but...not only can I not get the poultry I use to in Ill., I would have to buy some very expensive equipment to do the kind of slaughterin I would want to do. I am not in to ringing the neck stuff.. I just can't stand actors thinking they know everything because they might of played a part as such. Of course then most of the actors are murders because they have played that part too.

-- debbie (bwolcott@cwis.net), March 13, 2002.

Most people want CHEAP food, or FOOD that is CHEAP. Take it either way, it comes out the same. Perhaps some will pay $2.50 a dozen for eggs, but most folks want eggs for less than a dollar a dozen. What is the most talked about thing on Country Families? Frugality. That I reckon means making the most of what you got, not spending more for the same thing. Getting a bargain. Americans want a bargain. They will put up with a lot of crap to get it too. Ever been to a moonlit madness sale? Farmers aren't going to quit raising broilers in broiler houses cause Mary Tyler Moore says so. Farmers will quit when they can make the same profit on chickens raising them free range which means that $.99 fryer will go up to probably $3-4 a pound. Are you going to pay that for a chicken? I'm not and probably no one else would either. I know that chickens can be raised cheaply, but not on the scale of 20,000. Whose gonna scrounge scraps for that many? How much labor would be involved in dealing with that many chickens free ranging? What about predator loss? What if it rains then freezes and they all die of pneumonia? You get the picture? Just not practical on a large scale. Oh it is an ideal thought, but won't happen. So we could put the chicken farmer out of business by boycotting his product. Go back to not having a reliable food chain, just buying from farmer bud down the road. Of course, that might be hard to do in New York City. So we get rid of the large farmers and revert back to the small farmers who only raise a couple hundred hens. What happens when Farmer Bud runs out of hens? Just a thought here though - who helped put the small farmers out of business anyway? Not just the large corporations like so many believe. It was us, too, the Americans who wanted cheap food, widely available, in every season, 24 hours a day. We demanded, corporate America responded and the grocery store chains were born. Small farmers went under as they couldn't compete. We probably didn't mean for that to happen, but it did. And now we want to complain about odors, messes, inhumane methods of raising livestock. Kind of ironic don't you think? We won't put large farmers out of business, but we may put cheap food off the shelves. How many can afford to pay for a 50% increase in groceries? I am not talking about those here that raise their own food - and how many times have I seen someone write in that "sure it costs more to raise the chickens, get eggs, etc?" but we know what it ate. That's great on a small scale, but folks in cities and on limited incomes aren't gonna see it that way. People are used to this way of life, and they aren't gonna give it up. They don't give a flip how their steak is raised or where their milk comes from, or what chicken laid their eggs. They just want it available, and cheap. So unless you can persuade all those millions of folks that they should pay up to 50% more for their chicken for Sunday dinner, you're fighting a losing battle.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), March 13, 2002.

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